News

Peggy Anne Ashford long-time downtown business owner, passed away peacefully on July 18th, 2012, at her home in Gilroy at the age of 81. Her final days were spent surrounded by family and friends.  

location: 8505 Church St., Unit 9, Gilroy (across from Gilroy Health and

Cristofaro Cassara, 70 died peacefully in Fresno, CA on October 14, 2009. Cristofaro was born in Monreale, Sicily on March 10, 1939 and in March 1965, moved to America. Shortly after, he began working as a tailor, and then years later, founded the Cris Cassara Clothing Stores in the Bay Area. He also successfully opened an Italian restaurant, Mezza Luna, in Morgan Hill, and then Venezia Restaurant in Fresno, CA. He is survived by his loving daughters Rita Langley and her husband Matt, Rosemarie Doelle and her husband Miles, his two devoted sons Cristopher Lee Cassara and his wife Lenore and Gianfranco Cassara and his daughter Gianna. He was also the beloved brother of six and one sister as well as an uncle to many nieces and nephews. His contributions to the business communities and especially his love for his family will be dearly missed. A Funeral service will be held on Wednesday, October 21, 2009, at 10:00 A.M. at the Cusimano Family Colonial Mortuary 96 West El Camino Real, Mountain View, CA. 94040. Please respectfully join his children and loved ones following the service at the Los Altos History Museum 51 S. San Antonio Rd. Los Altos, CA 94022-3056 (650) 948-9427.

When I was a kid in Danville back in the mid-1970s, I saw my dad putting bricks in all the toilet tanks in the house to help do our part during the drought. I remember sections of cracked earth in the back of our house, with crevices so deep I imagined if I pulled one away, I might get to see clear to China. I remember the gas shortage that resulted in us running out of gas in the behemoth of a Suburban and literally coasting into the driveway of the gas station to take our place at the end of the snaking line while Jackson Browne’s “Running on Empty” played over the radio.